Drink red wine, avoid cavities?

That glass of wine that you enjoy with your dinner every now and then might actually be good for your teeth. Though there have been studies done before which have said red wine is a source of heart-healthy antioxidants, a recent study, published in the American Chemical Society’s Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry, has now linked red wine to being a possible defense against cavities.

Previous research suggested that red wine and grape seed extract slowed bacterial growth, which is the cause of things like cavities and other periodontal disease and tooth loss. Researchers in this study found that to be the case once again.

Bacteria associated with cavities and dental disease were grown by the research team, who then exposed the bacteria to different ingredients, including red wine with and without alcohol, red wine spiked with grape seed extract, and water. Red wine spiked with grape seed extract, red wine with alcohol and red wine without alcohol were the most effective at eradicating bacteria.

Researchers are hoping that this information may help lead to the development of natural products that don’t have the side effects that alcohol has. For now, maybe you can enjoy that glass of wine a little bit more. But remember, everything in moderation!

If you have any questions, we’d love to hear from you at Marlborough Dental in NE Calgary.